Garmin Fishfinder 240

Jan 11, 2014
11,914
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
Are you going to fish?

Is the transducer under the cockpit? If so it is a terrible place for it. Fishfinders and depth sounders (basically the same technology) like nice clean bubble and turbulent free water. Behind the keel is not turbulent free. The water flowing around keel will create some turbulence which will interfere with the pinging the depth sounder does.

If you don't connect the fish finder, leave the transducer. Removing it will leave a hole and repairing the hole correctly is probably a bigger job than you want to tackle now. There are articles on how to do that on the West System epoxy website.
 

dLj

.
Mar 23, 2017
3,617
Belliure 41 Sailing back to the Chesapeake
What do you have for a depth finder if not that fish finder? I'd want to at least have a depth sounder of some sort. If you don't have one, use that one for the time being and see how well, or not, it works. Then decide as you know your boat more.

dj
 
May 31, 2023
49
O'Day Daysailer 3 Richmond, VA
I don't fish! Maybe I should, but I'm not into it. In the future I'd want a navigation system.
 

dLj

.
Mar 23, 2017
3,617
Belliure 41 Sailing back to the Chesapeake
I don't fish! Maybe I should, but I'm not into it. In the future I'd want a navigation system.
I don't fish either. But you will want a depth gauge. If the boat doesn't have one, that fish finder will work for that. It doesn't matter it's called a fish finder... If you have a cell phone, you have a navigation system, or at least you can easily make your cell phone one...

dj
 
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ShawnL

.
Jul 29, 2020
126
Catalina 22 3603 Calumet Mi
I have a fish finder on my catalina 22 -- only use it for depth, but it was inexpensive and works well for the sailing we do. I'd love it if it was a full navigation unit, but we don't really need that.
 
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jssailem

SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
Oct 22, 2014
21,656
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Put the boat in the water and power it up. The transducer needs a water medium to work.